title: [Clinical evaluation of stiletto needle for pain of knee osteoarthritis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To objectively evaluate the clinical efficacy of stiletto needle for pain of knee osteoarthri tis (KOA), and analyze its function mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-six cases of KOA (76 knees) were selected. Under the guide of Jingjin theory in TCM, stiletto needle was applied at pain point of Jingjin in extra-articular area to have a loose solution effect, 1 to 3 points were selected each time, 1 to 2 times of treatment were required. The results of tenderness measurement instrument was adopted as main evaluation index of joint pain, and all data of evaluation indices before and after the treatment were statistical analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences in visual analogue scale (VAS) score, tenderness score, HSS function score and movement range of joint before and after the treatment (all P < 0.05). The effective rate of stiletto needle therapy was 89.5%. There was apparent regression trend between VAS score and tenderness score with Y (VAS) = 7.841-1.569 X (tenderness score) as its regressive equation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The stiletto needle therapy is an effective method to relieve the pain of knee osteoarthritis, and its clinical efficacy evaluation could be more objective and digital with tenderness measurement instrument.
authors.affiliation: Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences, Beijing 100102, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Kai
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Kuan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Chun-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome